Large windows let a lot of light into the house and create a pleasant atmosphere. Unfortunately they also cause temperatures indoors to soar in the summer. Luckily there are several solutions for maintaining a cool indoor climate. Indoors you can choose between curtains or blinds, screens, window films or solar control glazing.
Outdoor sun shades – (roller) shutters, louvers, outdoor blinds and so on – are even more efficient however. If you want to continue to enjoy your view then consider an awning or an articulated sun shade.
Anything that helps to prevent the light (and therefore the heat that comes with it) from entering the room or from building up inside solid materials (brickwork and stone walls), from where the heat soaked up and stored takes days to be released, helps to improve your comfort.
What? | Characteristics | |
Curtains or blinds | the simplest type of sun shade |
- Light colours reflect the sun - dark colours tend to warm up quickly: consequently a light-coloured lining can prove quite useful. |
Screens | blinds made of a solar shading fabric instead of an ordinary fabric |
The colour determines: - how the light is filtered - the level of UV resistance - the amount of heat that is let in |
Window films | comparable to the special coatings used in solar control glass |
- there is no need to replace your window panes - the light still falls in - you can see through them. |
Solar control glass |
very effective to keep out the heat but unfortunately this also applies in winter |
Always choose your solar control glass in a showroom. This will allow you to see how much colour distortion the coating causes on the light as it falls in. |
But preventing the heat from entering the house is an even more efficient solution. You can do this with:
These solutions all keep out the heat - but also the light. Do you want to continue to enjoy your view? Then choose an awning or an articulated sun shade.
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